Ricoh Europe research reveals that underinvestment in financial process automation is stalling productivity, denting morale, and putting talent retention at risk—just as new EU e-invoicing rules make automation a compliance imperative.
Automation Gaps Hamper Teams
- 27% of finance directors name lack of automation as a top barrier to employee productivity, alongside outdated collaboration tools and pressure to hit growth targets.
- 32% of employees report they want automation tools but lack access, forcing them into manual data entry and routine tasks.
- Heavy administrative workloads are undermining job fulfilment, say finance leaders.
Despite these challenges, 34% of finance executives plan to increase investment in productivity tools over the next year.
E-Invoicing Mandates Turn Nice-to-Have into Must-Have
- The EU Directive 2014/55/EU is extending mandatory e-invoicing to B2B payments.
- Germany enforced its national mandate in January 2025; Spain and France will follow by 2026.
- Cross-border operators face additional international compliance requirements.
Early adopters of e-invoicing and automation will gain not only regulator compliance but also strategic advantages in data accuracy and cost control.
Barriers to Implementation
- 30% of finance leaders say they need guidance on integrating new automation systems without disrupting existing workflows or compromising data security.
“As Financial Leaders, we have a responsibility to prioritise the wellbeing of our teams and ensure organisational compliance. Automation is key to both,” said Tim Stuart, CFO of Ricoh Europe.
“Not only does automation enhance productivity and job satisfaction, it also brings wider business benefits, from improved data accuracy and real-time financial insights, to reduced risk exposure. While concerns around financial data sensitivity and privacy aren’t without warrant, partnering with a reliable digital expert, with proven technical expertise, will ensure data remains secure. With the right support, businesses and their finance teams can adopt automation confidently and reap its benefits with minimal disruption.”
See here for more on Ricoh’s E-invoice Solution.
